Old Farts Thread

[bigjack]

Originally Posted by nighthawk

When you think of flakes guys like Durbano, Holt, Walton ect. come to mind, though one guy who doesn't get talked about much was former NY Ranger goalies Gillies Gratton aka "Gratoony the Looney" who might have been to biggest flake to ever lace up the skates.

I remember hearing one time that he streaked across the ice during a team practice. Gratton also was into the occult and a strong believer in reincarnation and claimed to be able to remember all his past lives. He would at times complain about abdominal pain which was a result of a past live as a soldier during the Spanish Inquisition where he was stabbed in the gut by a lance. He also claimed that being a goalie was karmic punishment for being an evil doer in previous incarnations.

He also once refused to play in goal once being the moon was in the wrong position in the sky and at other times would be reluctant to play if the planets weren't in a certain alignment. Certainly had one of the most bizzare goalie masks with a tiger painted on it and was said to growl and hiss at opponents.

Admittingly I believe in reincarnation but that even a little too much for me!!!! Does anyone have any "flakey" stories of any other former NHL players?

And here's a picture of Gratton's mask :

I forget who said it but an opposing player one night claimed that he was in front of the net with his back to Gratton and all of a sudden he heard a tremendous growl like a Lion and it was Gratton growling behind his mask.
I think his streaking was as a Toro and he was in a Playboy issue naked sitting at a Piano playing in some ginmill in NY with a babe sitting on top of the Piano.
He took 10 years off Fergie's life!

[nighthawk]

Originally Posted by peacemaker

I believe it wasn't practice, but an early pre-game skate that he skated naked during. I believe he skated his laps butt naked. It was'nt a one lap around the ice on a dare variety of streak.

You would think he would be a very talented player for anyone to deal with a flake of that caliber. But he seemed to be a very average goalie, no?

You're probably right about it being a pre-game skate and heard the story many years ago and probably didn't remember it correctly.

To be honest I really don't remember how good a goalie he was and only seem to remember the crazy stories about him. Though John Davidson claimed that he was a good goalie.

[fansince65]

Howie Young was another colourful character , he walked around the boards one night as the story goes wearing nothing but his cowboy hat and skates , I have seen pictures of him doing exactly that but he was fully dressed in street clothes , he was not dressed for the game , what made it so funny he walked along the boards in front of both teams players bench to get to the other side while the game was being played .
He played for the Wings from 60 to 68 , was 5-11 175 lbs played "D" and in the 62/63 season had 273 pim in 64 games , Gordie Howe said once he was a total nut case , was drunk most of the time and you never knew what the he!! he was going to do ....

[peacemaker]

Originally Posted by fansince65

Howie Young was another colourful character , he walked around the boards one night as the story goes wearing nothing but his cowboy hat and skates , I have seen pictures of him doing exactly that but he was fully dressed in street clothes , he was not dressed for the game , what made it so funny he walked along the boards in front of both teams players bench to get to the other side while the game was being played .
He played for the Wings from 60 to 68 , was 5-11 175 lbs played "D" and in the 62/63 season had 273 pim in 64 games , Gordie Howe said once he was a total nut case , was drunk most of the time and you never knew what the he!! he was going to do ....

About 15-20 years ago there was a big story about Howie Young and his drinking problems. I'm not sure why it was such a big deal (maybe he had just put out a book, or had come out about being an alcoholic)..., but they had a bunch of his stories in there, and he did some crazy stuff.

Mike Walton once protested not getting enough ice time in Vancouver by going out on the ice and following the Zamboni around as it cleaned the ice. That's pretty original.

[canuckfan]

How about goalie Gary "Suitcase" Smith? He got the nickname for the sheer amount of teams he played for, but he was supposed to be quite the character himself. Walking around with long fur coats and wooden clogs with no socks, and was something of a party animal during his hayday in the 1970s. I thnk he said somewhere that he led the league in hangovers during his career.

I love the story about how Smith was traded from the Canucks in 1975, after leading them through a Hart-worthy calibre season. At a Xmas party, he was introduced to Emily Griffiths, the wife of Canucks owner Frank Griffiths and heiress to the Ballard pet-food fortune. Smith reportedly said "Gee, I see the resemblance on the can".

Well, you can bet he was as good as gone after that as Griffiths demanded he be traded out of Vancouver immediatley, despite the fact Smith was a popular teammate and important part of the team. I've heard it argued that the Canucks troubles in the late 1970s can be traced back to this incident!

Anyhow - when people talk about weird or flakey goalies, I always think about Suitcase.

[fansince65]

Charlie Gardiner was one of the first real nuts to play hockey , he used to sing while he played goal for the Blackhawks , even took requests while the game was being played , used to drive Eddy Shore nuts , he was singing "I'm in the mood for love" one night when Shore told him he would stick the blade in him and cut him a new cornhole , you wait Gardiner ; Shore was heard to say ; I will get you you little Bastard !!!
Another time they were at the banquet hall of the old Bismark hotel when someone introduced Charlie to Hollywood starlet Myrna Loy , Ms. Loy inquired what he did for a living , he told her he was a hockey player , that he was the leading goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks , she asked "no really what do you do" He said " thats it ma'am thats what i do "
Ms. Loy asked him his name , "Charley Gardiner ma'am he said ' She looked right him and said "HHMMM! SORRY , NEVER HEARD OF YOU !!!

[Maggie3and Me]

This is the 1,507 post on this thread. It has enjoyed over 32,000 views.

There is no greater compliment to you, the posters who have contributed here with posts or comments than the above numbers.

For it is the quality of material, views, comments, and opinions that you have all brought to this thread that have made it what it is. More than that, you have inspired others to come here and be a part of this thing we call the Old Farts thread.

I am grateful.

M3M

[Maggie3and Me]

fan,

You mentioned Charlie Gardiner. He was a free spirit no doubt about it. He was also one hell of a goalie. From all the research I have done on him in the last year, I find this article to be one of the best. Rather than right and just quote the article, I think it deserves to be posted in its entirety.

This if from Greatest Hockey Legends, by Joe Pellitier.

Charlie Gardiner was Chicago's first hockey superstar. He led them to the top of the league and eventually their first Stanley Cup in 1934 and put hockey on the map in the Windy City.

Born in Scotland in 1904, the Gardiner family moved to Winnipeg when Charlie was 7. It was in Winnipeg where he discovered two sports that loved - hockey and trap shooting. While playing with the amateur Winnipeg Maroons, the Chicago Black Hawks, who were the League's cellar-dwellers, found the goalie that would turn them into champions.

Though Gardiner's play was spectacular, the turnaround was far from immediate. In his rookie campaign, 1927-28, Chicago finished dead last and Gardiner led the league in losses with 32. As a sophomore Gardiner lost a league high 29 games despite a 1.93 GAA. The Hawks won only 7 games. But Gardiner continued to play with unbreakable spirit, and earning high praise despite the statistics. The great Howie Morenz once claimed "Bonnie Prince Charlie" was the toughest goalie to score upon.

The Hawks continued to struggle as the 1930s progressed, but Gardiner emerged to become what many people feel was the best goalie of his day. He posted 42 shutouts and 2.02 GAA in 7 seasons. He won the Vezina Trophy in 1932 and 1934 and was named to 4 All Star Teams. He played with a team that offered very little offensive support (the whole team scored only 33 goals in 44 games in 1928-29). But Gardiner's play, much like that of Dominik Hasek years later with Buffalo, made the team a contender to reckon with.

Gardiner's finest moment came in the 1934 playoffs, as "Smiling Charlie" advanced the Hawks to the Stanley Cup Finals against Detroit. This despite the fact that Gardiner was feeling quite ill at the time. Unbeknownst to him or his doctors, Gardiner had long suffered from a chronic tonsil infection. The disease had spread and had begun to cause uremia convulsions. Undaunted, Gardiner pressed on as winning the Stanley Cup had become an obsession with him. Though playing in body-numbing pain, the Hawks prevailed over the Wings. He permitted only 12 goals in 8 playoff games - a 1.50 GAA.

A well liked and jovial fellow, Gardiner served as the Blackhawks captain, a rarity for a goalie even when it was allowed. Before the decisive 4th game, the "Roving Scotsman" showed his leadership and reportedly told his teammates that they would only need to score one goal that night. Sure enough, the game had gone into double overtime at a 0-0 tie. Suffering from growing fatigue, Gardiner was weakening considerably as the game went on. But he managed to hold the Red Wings scoreless until Chicago's Mush March finally scored.

The Hawks hoisted their first Stanley Cup, but Gardiner, the only goalie to captain a Cup champion, was just as happy he could escape the ice and collapse in the dressing room. A few weeks later Gardiner underwent brain surgery after suffering a massive brain hemorrhage. Unfortunately complications from the surgery would cost him his life on June 13, 1934.

Had Gardiner been healthy enough to continue his career, he undoubtedly would be looked upon as one of the greatest goaltenders in hockey history. As it is, he persevered with an incredibly weak team and, with championship effort, he led them to the Stanley Cup in his short 7 year career.

That championship effort landed Gardiner into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1945.

[hockeybooks]

Originally Posted by Maggie3and Me

This is the 1,507 post on this thread. It has enjoyed over 32,000 views.

There is no greater compliment to you, the posters who have contributed here with posts or comments than the above numbers.

For it is the quality of material, views, comments, and opinions that you have all brought to this thread that have made it what it is. More than that, you have inspired others to come here and be a part of this thing we call the Old Farts thread.

I am grateful.

M3M

you started it , mags

we're just happy to have jumped on the band-wagon

this thread is one i visit every time i log on

truthfully, even over some of the events of the day

i've been thrilled to chip in with some pics and clips that were spurred by other's memories and stories

my personal fave: having , by luck , the night the rangers jumped sanderson

i had never even heard of the bounty, til bigjack detailed it

i've learned so much of the eras before i started following hockey in the 70's,

i am grateful to BENNETTWOLF, fansince, bigjack, and all the other posters who spent time typing { and correcting that typing...LOL }

can't wait to see where we wander , from here onwards

[hockeybooks]

Originally Posted by canuckfan

How about goalie Gary "Suitcase" Smith?
Anyhow - when people talk about weird or flakey goalies, I always think about Suitcase.

wasn't he penalized at least once for stickhandling the puck over the center line?

and , of course, he's also famous for punting the puck , during play

he rarely attends Alumni events, but recently agreed to appear on the ice at GM Place

he thrilled fans by punting his ball cap, to remind folks of his stunt

[BENNETTWOLF]

A potential sign that things might be looking up in the "goon" department. Francis Lessard has made it back into the NHL, just being recalled by Phoenix. I have always liked his stuff on tape in both the AHL and NHL with Atlanta.

Back to the "arms race", Damn "detente", let the "cold war" resume post haste.

[fansince65]

Originally Posted by Maggie3and Me

This is the 1,507 post on this thread. It has enjoyed over 32,000 views.

There is no greater compliment to you, the posters who have contributed here with posts or comments than the above numbers.

For it is the quality of material, views, comments, and opinions that you have all brought to this thread that have made it what it is. More than that, you have inspired others to come here and be a part of this thing we call the Old Farts thread.

I am grateful.

M3M

The main reason this thread is such a success is the untold stories that are out their like the New York Ranger curse that was supposed to have started when J.R Kilpatrick burned the paid off mortgage for Madison Square Garden in the Stanley Cup on April 13 1940 , or Gordie Howe getting a team "JACKET" as his signing bonus from the Detroit Red Wings when he signed his first NHL contract .
All the stories Big Jack/BENNETTWOLF/hockeybooks/canuckfan/Johny Pie/peacemaker/Nighthawk/BrianTheAdsFan/M3M and many others has taken hours of research just to verify if in fact they actually happened .
I honestly beleive they all put in such an effort for the love of the game and just for the fun of relieving some old memories , thats the only reason I love this site , that and toying with Big Jack all the time .

BJ their is never any malice in my having some fun with you , your love of the Rangers is to be commended as is your knowledge of said team , if we all had that kind of dedication to our chosen team their would be no room for anyone else to post ...

[Johnny Pie]

Maggie3 congrats on this thread. Thats an awful lot of posts and views. You, fan,nighthawk, Bj and others do put in a lot of time. BJ for all his crazy Fotiu stuff actually does know something about hockey. I mean he knows #4 IS THE GREATEST OF ALLTIME. It is a great place to relive the old days. As soon as my home computer is fixed I will post some fight pics from the 60's and 70's. If you guys get a chance Ross at nhlfightclub has posted audio fights I taped in the 70's and you might like hearing them. I taped them in my room over 35 years ago. some classic fights not on video. Any way keep up the good work.

[fansince65]

Originally Posted by canuckfan

How about goalie Gary "Suitcase" Smith? He got the nickname for the sheer amount of teams he played for, but he was supposed to be quite the character himself. Walking around with long fur coats and wooden clogs with no socks, and was something of a party animal during his hayday in the 1970s. I thnk he said somewhere that he led the league in hangovers during his career.

I love the story about how Smith was traded from the Canucks in 1975, after leading them through a Hart-worthy calibre season. At a Xmas party, he was introduced to Emily Griffiths, the wife of Canucks owner Frank Griffiths and heiress to the Ballard pet-food fortune. Smith reportedly said "Gee, I see the resemblance on the can".

Well, you can bet he was as good as gone after that as Griffiths demanded he be traded out of Vancouver immediatley, despite the fact Smith was a popular teammate and important part of the team. I've heard it argued that the Canucks troubles in the late 1970s can be traced back to this incident!

Anyhow - when people talk about weird or flakey goalies, I always think about Suitcase.

You mentioned Gary Smith as "Suitcase" < well I think that name belongs to one player only "Walter "SUITCASE" McKechnie !!

Walter McKechnie , Drafted in 1963 by the Leafs 6th overall in the first round.
Traded to Phonex (WHL)by Toronto Oct.15/67
Traded to Minnesota by Phonex June 68
Traded to California by Minnesota march 71
Claimed by Rangers from California june 10/74 (dispersal draft)
Traded to Boston By Rangers June 12/74 (Two days as a Ranger)
Traded to Detroit by Boston Feb.18/75
traded to Washington by Detroit ..
Traded to Cleveland By Detroit
Placed on Minnesota reserve list June 15/78
Traded to Toronto By Minnesota
Traded to Colorado by Toronto Oct.5/78
Signed as Free agent by Detroit March 3/80

I think that qualifies McKechnie as the "Suitcase" king of pro hockey ...

[Beaton]

First time I have checked out this thread. I'm one those guys that hate to admit the age thing..Anyway I turned 53 today so I wanted to share my first in person NHL game..My father got some tix from a salesman (as cheap as they were back then,theres no way he could afford them). Anyway, this was 1970-Rangers-Bruins..As you all know there was alot of hate going on back then between the 2..When we sat down my Dad said check out #4 for Boston..I was awestruck..It was obvious from the start of the game he could skate backwards faster than 90% of the guys skating forward..Then just before the end of the 1st period Brad Park and Johnny Pie McKenzie dropped the mitts right in front of us..Instant hockey fanatic..Not much of a story fellas but I guess but the old man died the following month and being my birthday I get a bit nostalgic...Thx Mags